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(NOTE: Alislam Team
takes full responsibility for any errors or miscommunication in this Synopsis
of the Friday Sermon by Sister Shermeen Butt)

Istaghfar (seeking pardon)

Huzuraba delivered his Friday Sermon from Jinja, Uganda.

Citing verse 4 of Surah Hud (11:4) Huzuraba spoke on the subject of Istaghfar
(seeking pardon). Drawing attention to the purpose of creation, we are reminded
not to be overcome by the razzle-dazzle of this world lest we are negligent.
Rather, we need to be mindful to strive to seek Allah’s pleasure and
nearness, worshipping Him. When this is the objective in view, the world, of
its own accord, yields.

However, one is faced with forceful satanic enticements at every corner and
without Allah’s special grace it is difficult to evade these onslaughts.
However, it is a unique favour of Allah that He has taught us the ways and
means to avoid these matters; engage in Istaghfar with determination.

Those who are materialistic imagine that unless one is embroiled in the muddle
of this world one cannot achieve prosperity, however, Allah states that He
would always provide for those who repent – provide for them with an
abundance of worldly wealth as well as draw on their Istaghfar and good deeds
for the Hereafter and it is Istaghfar alone that counteracts all the satanic
schemes.

Istaghfar denotes to pray to Allah to be wrapped in His cover through His
grace.

Allah looks out for His servants to turn to Him with sincerity and seek Istaghfar
so that He may accept their prayer and wrap them in His cover of mercy, so
that they may be protected from Satan. However, the condition for this is that
they are resolute and consistent in their quest of the straight path.

Huzuraba said every Ahmadi should engage in Istaghfar and repent for their past
sins and turn to Allah for future, coming into His refuge. Satan cannot harm
one who comes in Allah’s refuge because these people only do what is
pleasing to Allah and subsequently all their shortcomings, which are barriers
in seeking closeness to Allah, are eliminated.

Indeed Allah is ever on the look out to give love to His servants and He reciprocates
the slightest of attempt towards this with tremendous reward, as the celebrated
hadith informs us, if one walks towards Him, He runs in response.

In elucidation of a hadith that recounts regret and remorse as the signs of
repentance Huzuraba read extracts from the writings of the Promised Messiahas. He said there are three conditions of sincere repentance. Firstly
to rid of bad thoughts that may cause and be the incentive for ill deeds. Thoughts
and imagination have a huge influence on one’s actions, so to eliminate
these. Secondly to express regret over one’s past actions, be conscious
of the fact that these worldly pleasures are but finite and one loses one’s
ability to enjoy them with age in any case, so why pursue something that is
fleeting. Thirdly to be resolute, that is to make firm resolve to avoid these
in the future. When one repents sincerely Allah grants strength and resolve
for He is the Master of all power and strength.

Huzuraba concluded on the prayer that may Allah grant us all the capacity to
abide by this.